Loss and grief reactions after spontaneous miscarriage in the emergency department.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To describe the psychological and functional consequences of miscarriage in women after emergency department treatment and to identify variables that are associated with feelings of loss and grief.

DESIGN

A prospective telephone follow-up study.

SETTING

The ED of an urban teaching hospital.

TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS

A consecutive sample of 44 women who were treated for miscarriage.

MAIN RESULTS

Women were contacted a median of 17.5 days after their miscarriage. Although the pregnancy had been planned by only 12 women (28%), 30 (70%) stated they wanted the pregnancy once they knew they were pregnant. Women commonly felt a sense of loss (82%) and most experienced some limitations with daily functioning (77%). Although wanting the pregnancy was associated with a sense of loss, 40% of the women who did not want the pregnancy experienced loss.

CONCLUSION

Grief reactions are pervasive after spontaneous miscarriage. There is no subgroup of women who could be expected not to experience loss and grief. The ED management of the woman who miscarries should address the anticipated loss and grief.